Ron Santo, Greatest Cubs 3rd Base-man?

[minnesotacubsfan]

I was at Barnes and Knoble last night and I ran across Ron Santo's book "The Few and Choosen". it is basically a list of the best players in Cubs history by position. What I was struck by was when I got to the 3rd baseman section and discoverd Ron did not list himself in the top 5. He listed ARAM as #3, and Hack as #1, but no mention of Ronny himself. I realize Ronny is as humble as pie, but I think this is in error. Ronny has to be in the top 5, I would say #2 or 1.

 

BTW, I was headed to the Coldplay concert and didnt buy the book. Does anyone have it? is it good? It looked cool...

[dalgreen]

I was at Barnes and Knoble last night and I ran across Ron Santo's book "The Few and Choosen". it is basically a list of the best players in Cubs history by position. What I was struck by was when I got to the 3rd baseman section and discoverd Ron did not list himself in the top 5. He listed ARAM as #3, and Hack as #1, but no mention of Ronny himself. I realize Ronny is as humble as pie, but I think this is in error. Ronny has to be in the top 5, I would say #2 or 1.

 

BTW, I was headed to the Coldplay concert and didnt buy the book. Does anyone have it? is it good? It looked cool...

 

Where was Bill Madlock ranked?

[minnesotacubsfan]

I was at Barnes and Knoble last night and I ran across Ron Santo's book "The Few and Choosen". it is basically a list of the best players in Cubs history by position. What I was struck by was when I got to the 3rd baseman section and discoverd Ron did not list himself in the top 5. He listed ARAM as #3, and Hack as #1, but no mention of Ronny himself. I realize Ronny is as humble as pie, but I think this is in error. Ronny has to be in the top 5, I would say #2 or 1.

 

BTW, I was headed to the Coldplay concert and didnt buy the book. Does anyone have it? is it good? It looked cool...

 

Where was Bill Madlock ranked?

 

maybe #2 or 4, cant remember......

 

too much beer and LOUD music

[CheeseHead Cubs Fan]

It amazes me that Santo put Shane Andrews ahead of him...

[wekse]

did you like Rilo Kiley, they opened up for Coldplay?

[Derwood]

It amazes me that Santo put Shane Andrews ahead of him...

 

But slightly ahead of Steve Buechele and in a tie with Gary Gaetti

[minnesotacubsfan]

did you like Rilo Kiley, they opened up for Coldplay?

 

not too bad. I was in the 13th row. very close. I hate the Target Center for concerts though, the sound quality sucks

 

 

were you there? or do you know the band?

[wekse]

i don't know the band but i know their music and i enjoy it

[minnesotacubsfan]

i don't know the band but i know their music and i enjoy it

 

ic

[rynesrevenge0206]

two cheers for rilo!!

[don_kessinger_was_good]

Over an extended period of time, you have to go with Santo #1. If the filter though is just the best 3B with the Cubs regardless of tenure, then Madlock is my #1. He was my favorite Cub as a youngster, it STILL kills me the skinflint Wrigleys let him go. Gee, all he did was win two consecutive batting titles, yeah, let's trade him for Bobby Murcer. :roll:

 

1. Madlock

2. Santo

3. Ramirez

4. Hack

5. Harry Steinfeldt (from the championship teams)

 

That would be my list.

[Derwood]

Over an extended period of time, you have to go with Santo #1. If the filter though is just the best 3B with the Cubs regardless of tenure, then Madlock is my #1. He was my favorite Cub as a youngster, it STILL kills me the skinflint Wrigleys let him go. Gee, all he did was win two consecutive batting titles, yeah, let's trade him for Bobby Murcer. :roll:

 

1. Madlock

2. Santo

3. Ramirez

4. Hack

5. Harry Steinfeldt (from the championship teams)

 

That would be my list.

 

No offense, but where the heck is KEVIN ORIE?

 

:wink:

[Warren Brusstar]

Over an extended period of time, you have to go with Santo #1. If the filter though is just the best 3B with the Cubs regardless of tenure, then Madlock is my #1. He was my favorite Cub as a youngster, it STILL kills me the skinflint Wrigleys let him go. Gee, all he did was win two consecutive batting titles, yeah, let's trade him for Bobby Murcer. :roll:

 

1. Madlock

2. Santo

3. Ramirez

4. Hack

5. Harry Steinfeldt (from the championship teams)

 

That would be my list.

 

Santo posted better offensive numbers than Madlock in an era that was tougher to hit in. Santo walked. Madlock didn't. Santo hit for power. Madlock didn't. Santo was a gold glove defender. Madlock was not.

 

It used to really, really piss me off when the media would reflectively state that the "Cubs haven't had a legitimate 3B since Ron Santo" Bill Madlock was a pretty darn good one. And, to a lesser extent, Ron Cey was decent for a couple years. That said, Bill Madlock can't sniff Ron Santo's jock.

[NCCubFan]

I do have the book, and the ratings are based only on the players' Cubs careers. His 3B rankings are: #1--Stan Hack; #2--Bill Madlock; #3--Aramis Ramirez; #4--Ned Williamson; #5--Woody English. A couple of other lists from the book I found interesting. Top 5 teams: #1--1969; #2--1906; #3--1929; #4--1945; #5--2003. Top 5 managers: #1--Leo Durocher; #2--Don Zimmer; #3--Cap Anson; #4--Dusty Baker :pukel: #5--Charlie Grimm.

[Bull]

I do have the book, and the ratings are based only on the players' Cubs careers. His 3B rankings are: #1--Stan Hack; #2--Bill Madlock; #3--Aramis Ramirez; #4--Ned Williamson; #5--Woody English. A couple of other lists from the book I found interesting. Top 5 teams: #1--1969; #2--1906; #3--1929; #4--1945; #5--2003. Top 5 managers: #1--Leo Durocher; #2--Don Zimmer; #3--Cap Anson; #4--Dusty Baker :pukel: #5--Charlie Grimm.

 

You can always count on NCCubbie. Obviously Santo didn't want rank himself. The 3B ratings should be seen as the best not including Santo, not that he views all five as better than him.

[TB_11]

Over an extended period of time, you have to go with Santo #1. If the filter though is just the best 3B with the Cubs regardless of tenure, then Madlock is my #1. He was my favorite Cub as a youngster, it STILL kills me the skinflint Wrigleys let him go. Gee, all he did was win two consecutive batting titles, yeah, let's trade him for Bobby Murcer. :roll:

 

1. Madlock

2. Santo

3. Ramirez

4. Hack

5. Harry Steinfeldt (from the championship teams)

 

That would be my list.

 

No offense, but where the heck is KEVIN ORIE?

 

:wink:

 

Two spots ahead of Howard Johnson, and one spot behind Steve Buchelle.

 

Rilo rocks.

[NewUserName]

You know the managers have to be bad if Baker and Zimmer make any top 5 list. I would take Riggleman over either of these guys

 

Also not that he would be in my top 5 but Vance Law gave us a couple of decent years especially since we were getting power from our 2B

 

Also Steve Ontiverios had a good year in 77 his OBP was probably as good as Madlocks and was a better defensive 3B. He was a Bill James type player before James got famous. Of course his not so great BA and low HR total got him run off the Cubs pretty quick

[don_kessinger_was_good]

Over an extended period of time, you have to go with Santo #1. If the filter though is just the best 3B with the Cubs regardless of tenure, then Madlock is my #1. He was my favorite Cub as a youngster, it STILL kills me the skinflint Wrigleys let him go. Gee, all he did was win two consecutive batting titles, yeah, let's trade him for Bobby Murcer. :roll:

 

1. Madlock

2. Santo

3. Ramirez

4. Hack

5. Harry Steinfeldt (from the championship teams)

 

That would be my list.

 

Santo posted better offensive numbers than Madlock in an era that was tougher to hit in. Santo walked. Madlock didn't. Santo hit for power. Madlock didn't. Santo was a gold glove defender. Madlock was not.

 

It used to really, really piss me off when the media would reflectively state that the "Cubs haven't had a legitimate 3B since Ron Santo" Bill Madlock was a pretty darn good one. And, to a lesser extent, Ron Cey was decent for a couple years. That said, Bill Madlock can't sniff Ron Santo's jock.

 

Madlock didn't walk? 40-50 BBs not huge, true, but he compensated by being one of the toughest guys to strike out in his era. In his three Cub years, Maddog struck out just 39, 34 and 27 times. OBP? 374, 402, 412. And while he was no huge home run hitter, Madlock finished in the Top 10 three times in his career in SLG, that's not too bad for a line drive hitter. And he could steal some bases. And his defense was not a liability, though he was not as good as Santo, granted.

 

For his overall game, I still take Madlock at his peak over Santo, but it's not like I'm dissing Ronnie, I did rank him #2 after all.